Aloha Dickinson

Lt. Col. Adrienne Eckstein takes her latest 'first' in stride

November 4, 2008

Lt. Col. Adrienne Eckstein settles into her new command.

Third-generation military, Lt. Col. Adrienne Eckstein is accustomed to being the "first" in a variety of situations: She was the first in her family to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; the first woman to serve as deputy commander of Honolulu District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and in August became the first woman director of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program at Dickinson.

"I don't think about it much—I just do what I have to do. There usually aren't a lot of women in the units I served in," says Eckstein. She notes that her husband, Col. Jeffrey Eckstein, outranks her.

Her unassuming manner belies the professionalism and passion for service at the core of Eckstein's approach to teaching. She grows animated when discussing the new ROTC curriculum and textbooks, explaining that the changes incorporate new doctrine and scenarios that reflect real-world experiences while maintaining a strong, values-based leadership model.

In addition to overseeing the program at Dickinson and Millersville University, she teaches the capstone course, Military Science 401, which emphasizes the understanding of rules and regulations and the daily requirements of command. "The course focuses on the skills needed to be a good platoon leader," she explains.

Eckstein connects the foundations of ROTC leadership training—physical fitness, high moral standards and a curiosity about the world—with Dickinson's distinctive approach to education and notes how well the two complement each other.

"Things happen rapidly in today's world, and the education [the cadets] get here—the idea of thinking globally—really prepares them," she says. "It's amazing what they do here, how involved the cadets are."

Anneke Skidmore '09, a senior cadet preparing for her commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, is pleased to have Eckstein as a strong role model. "I feel extremely fortunate to be working with Lt. Col. Eckstein. She is approachable, open and willing to help students in any way she can," says Skidmore.

Because Eckstein moved a lot growing up and with the Army, the recent transition from Honolulu to Carlisle hasn't been as difficult as one might expect. She's found the community very welcoming and is happy to be at Dickinson, noting especially "the dialogue on campus—the plethora of issues discussed."

Her children (Adam, 6; Adrienne, 8; and Luke, 10) also enjoy everything the new command has to offer—including Red Devils football games and the recent Ranger Challenge at Ft. Indiantown Gap, where they ran along with the cadets.

In fact, Luke appears to be a Dickinsonian in the making. Eckstein recently bought him a Dickinson sweatshirt, and it's all he wants to wear, she says with a wide smile.